Combination garment bags and duffles

ABSTRACT

An article of luggage includes a trolley system and a garment bag. The garment bag includes a top boundary, a bottom boundary, a left side boundary, a right side boundary, a top surface and a rear surface, and is provided on top of the trolley system. The semi-rigid base panel is provided one of under or over the rear surface, to physically insulate contents of the garment bag from the trolley system. The article further includes side flaps, the side flaps configured to respectively releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left and right side boundaries of the garment bag, such that an inner surface of each side flap and the top surface of the garment bag define an interior cavity of the article in a closed state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/004,993, filed Apr. 3, 2020, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to luggage, and more particularly to articles of luggage that combine a garment bag with a duffle.

BACKGROUND

It is often useful to travel with a duffle in which personal items are stored, as well as a garment bag in which suits, slacks, shirts, dresses, skirts blouses and other garments or clothing are stored. As used herein, a “duffle” refers to a bag made of soft material, often a natural or synthetic fabric. The bag is generally squat or modified cylindrical, where the sides are smaller in height than the length of the bag, and the sides have handles sewn into, or attached to them, which a user uses to carry the duffle. A duffle is also known as a “gym bag.”

A garment bag, or “travel garment bag” gives a user the ability to keep nice or “dress” clothes wrinkle-free and neat. They are generally long and flat, and many allow clothes to be hung on an inner hanging rack at the top. In order not to wrinkle the clothes in a garment bag, other articles that may be smaller, denser, have protruding edges, or the like, are generally not placed in contact with garments provided in a garment bag.

Because it is often difficult to carry two bags on-board an airplane, some people attempt to fold their garments carefully, and put them in a duffle with all of their other carry-on items. However, this often does result in wrinkling. As a result, the clothes may be marginally wearable at the user's destination, but they may not wearable at all, depending on the formality of the event at which the garments were desired to be worn.

It is noted that conventional duffles used for packing garments are known. However, when clothes are placed inside the duffle portion of the bag, the bag becomes very heavy, and is not ideal for travel. Common examples of this are the green canvas duffles used by military personnel. Such duffles cannot be used as an airplane carry-on bag.

What is needed is a bag that solves the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one embodiment, a combination garment bag and duffle includes a garment bag with protruding flaps on either side of, or near to, its center. In one embodiment, the protruding flaps may be zippered to top and bottom portions of the garment bag to create a duffle, and additional items may be placed inside the cavity created thereby. The garment bag is mounted on a trolley system, provided under the rear surface of the garment bag. In one example, the trolley system has wheels on one end, and an expandable handle on the other. The expandable handle expands in a direction perpendicular to the garment bag's length.

In another embodiment, an article of luggage includes a trolley system, and a garment bag including a top boundary, a bottom boundary, a left side boundary, a right side boundary, a top surface and a rear surface, the garment bag provided on top of the trolley system such that the rear surface abuts the trolley system. The article of luggage further includes a semi-rigid panel provided one of under or over the rear surface, to physically insulate contents of the garment bag from the trolley system, a left side flap affixed to the left side boundary, and a right side flap affixed to the right side boundary, the side flaps configured to respectively releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left and right side boundaries of the garment bag, such that an inner surface of each side flap and the top surface of the garment bag define an interior cavity of the article in a closed state.

In yet another embodiment, an article of luggage includes a rectangular shaped portion configured to hold clothes on hangers within it, the rectangular shaped portion having a length and a width, and including a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces attached to each other on at least three sides of their respective peripheries, the top surface having a closable opening accessible to a user. The article further includes a trolley mechanism provided underneath the bottom surface and along its width, the trolley mechanism including wheels on one end and a handle on the other end. The article of luggage still further includes a right side flap and a left side flap, each having a periphery including a curved upper region and a straight lower region, the straight lower region of the right side flap is attached to a middle portion of the right side of the rectangular portion, and the upper curved region of the right side flap is configured to releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the right side of the rectangular portion. Further, the straight lower region of the left side flap is attached to a middle portion of the left side of the rectangular portion, and the upper curved region of the left side flap is configured to releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left side of the rectangular portion.

In yet another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes providing a garment bag, including a top boundary, a bottom boundary, a left side boundary, a right side boundary, a top surface and a rear surface, and configuring the top boundary and bottom boundary to releasably attach to each other. The method further includes providing the garment bag on top of a trolley system, the trolley system oriented such that a first end of the trolley system is adjacent to the left side boundary and a second, opposite end, is adjacent to the right side boundary, and providing a semi-rigid panel one of under or over the rear surface of the garment bag, to physically insulate contents of the garment bag from the trolley system. The method still further includes affixing a left side flap to the left side boundary, and a right side flap to the right side boundary, and configuring the side flaps to respectively releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left and right side boundaries, such that, when each side flap is releasably attached to the corresponding portions of the garment bag boundaries, and when the top and bottom boundaries of the garment bag are releasably attached to each other, the inner surface of each side flap and the top surface of the garment bag together define an interior cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example article of luggage in a closed state, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the example closed article of luggage of FIG. 1, showing a trolley handle on one side, wheels on the other side, and a combination handle and rest bar attached to a side panel on the side with the wheels.

FIG. 3 illustrates the perspective view of FIG. 2, where a user holds onto the handle.

FIG. 4 illustrates the example closed article of luggage of FIG. 1 where respective zipper closures of one side of the article are clasped together to prevent unzipping, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a pocket in a front side of a closed garment bag provided at the bottom of the outer surface of the article, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates the example article of luggage in a collapsed position, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the article of luggage where a top portion of the garment bag of the article of luggage is not attached to respective right side and left side flaps, and where the interior garment bag is itself partially unzipped, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates the front view of FIG. 7, where an upper portion of a side of the garment bag is folded back down to show an example pocket, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a left side view of the example article of luggage of FIG. 8, with the side flap opened to show the interior cavity, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates an open state of the article of luggage, showing the garment bag laid flat, and the majority of its vertical closure opened, and the two side flaps also laid flat, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1 standing on its left side, resting on the combination handle and resting bar, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1, bent forward so that a user may pull it along the ground, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1 in its four possible states, namely collapsed and folded (top left), open (bottom left), partially closed with contents (top right), and fully closed and mobile (bottom right), in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example trolley system provided at the bottom of an example article of luggage, under the garment bag and in a zippered compartment, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 15 is a close-up view of the trolley system of FIG. 14, after rotating the example article by 90 degrees clockwise, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates the trolley system compartment of FIG. 15 with its covering zipped up, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 17A illustrates an example flap to cover the trolley rails, the flap provided on the back side of the garment bag, on top of the trolley system compartment, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 17B illustrates an alternate example flap to cover the trolley rails, as swung upwards, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 17C illustrates the alternate example flap of FIG. 17B as affixed in position at the back side of the garment bag to cover the trolley rails, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 17D illustrates an alternate example article of luggage, where the flap is provided inside the trolley system compartment, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 18 illustrates the example garment bag of the example article of luggage of FIG. 14 with its central closure partially zipped up, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a wider angle view of the example garment bag of the example article of luggage of FIG. 18, showing the entire garment bag and the two side flaps in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 20 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 19 with the garment bag fully closed, and a covering flap (shown at the right side of the figure) placed above the top portion of the garment bag, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 21 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 20 with bottom side portions of the garment bag (shown at the left of the figure) respectively zipped to an adjacent side of each of the protruding flaps, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 22 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 21 with top side portions of the garment bag (shown at the top of the figure) now also almost fully zipped to respective portions of each of the protruding flaps, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 23 illustrates the garment bag of FIG. 22, now with the top boundary of the garment bag and the bottom boundary of the garment bag zippered together, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 24 illustrates the underside of the garment bag of FIG. 23, showing example rivets on each side fastening the two trolley rails to a bottom panel of the article of luggage, as well as the wheels on the left side of the figure, and the trolley handle pocket on the right side of the figure, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 25 illustrates the garment bag of FIG. 24 (after rotating 180 degrees and flipping the bag over), with the handle fully extended, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 26 depicts a pair of semi rigid insert panels adjacent to an example garment bag portion of an article of luggage, the panels configured to respectively fit inside the two shown side flaps, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 27 depicts a close up view of the left side panel and the example left side flap to be inserted within it, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 28 depicts the left side panel of FIG. 27 being inserted into the example left side flap of FIG. 27, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 29 depicts the left side flap of FIG. 28 with the semi-rigid panel fully inserted, and a covering flap at the bottom of the inside surface of the side flap now attached to an underside of the garment bag portion, in accordance with various embodiments.

It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In embodiments, an article of luggage includes a combination garment bag and duffle. In one embodiment, the garment bag has protruding flaps that are attached to each of its sides. A boundary of each of these flaps that is not attached to a side of the garment bag may be zippered to top and bottom portions of the garment bag, where the side flaps are not attached, to create a duffle. Additional items may be placed inside the cavity. The garment bag has a back or rear surface, and a top surface with a zipper down its center. The garment bag may be mounted on a trolley system that is provided under the back side of the garment bag. In one embodiment, the trolley system has wheels on one end, and an expandable handle on the other. In one embodiment, the expandable handle expands in a direction perpendicular to the garment bag's length. In one embodiment, a rigid or semi-rigid layer is provided between the trolley system and a back surface of the garment bag, or, alternatively, the rigid or semi-rigid layer is integrated into, sewn on, or otherwise attached to the back surface of the garment bag, so as to protect any clothing placed in the garment bag from being wrinkled or otherwise affected by the trolley system.

In one or more embodiments, in order to prevent the hanging clothes, or other clothing, provided in the garment bag from lying directly on top of trolley rods that run along the back surface of the garment bag, a curved flap/panel is provided to cover the two trolley rods, thereby insulating the clothes from creasing, wrinkling or otherwise being affected by close proximity to the hard materials used to form the trolley rods. Without such a covering panel, an integrated garment bag used as the bottom portion of a duffle would not be functional. The clothes in the garment bag would crease just as much as if one simply folded them and packed them in a suitcase. As noted below, with reference to FIGS. 17A, 17B, 17C and 17D, in one or more embodiments a curved flap may be used to cover two protruding rods of a trolley system. As a result, any hanging clothes that are stored in the garment bag do not crease when laid on top of the curved flap.

In some embodiments, a thickness dimension of the trolley rods is reduced, so that the trolley rods occupy less space, thereby protruding less into the garment bag. In some embodiments, the curved flap may be provided within the garment bag itself, and be attached to the rear inner surface of the garment bag. In such embodiments, the curved flap may be made of plastic, such as, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, HDPE, LDPE, PET, PETE, polycarbonate, ABS (combination of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene), PVC, or the like. In some embodiments, the curved flap may be covered in cloth or material, prior to being provided into the garment bag.

In some embodiments, Velcro™, or equivalent attachment mechanism, may be used to keep the flap secure within the garment bag. For example, the curved flap may be attached on one or both sides to the inner rear surface of the garment bag. However, in alternate embodiments, a lining may be sewn into the base of the garment bag, between the portions of the left and right boundaries of the garment bag where two side flaps attach to the garment bag's left and right sides, respectively (the side flaps shown in, for example, FIG. 26, and the lining, provided between a pair of side flaps, is shown, for example, in FIG. 17D). In such embodiments, the lining may be tight, and may zip up in the middle, along a horizontal line perpendicular to the length of the garment bag. This lining holds the covered flap in place without the need for any Velcro™ or other affixation means to hold it down. The lining also covers the curved flap, and the lining being built in to the rear surface of the garment bag, it actually rests above the trolley rods, but under the rear surface of the garment bag, and thus makes the finish smooth and neat. As noted, an example of this alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 17D.

The following description may use perspective-based descriptions such as top/bottom, in/out, over/under, and the like. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of embodiments described herein to any particular orientation.

The following description may use the phrases “in one embodiment,” or “in one or more embodiments,” or “in some embodiments”, which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous.

The terms “coupled with,” along with its derivatives, and “connected to” along with its derivatives, may be used herein, including in the claims. “Coupled” or “connected” may mean one or more of the following. “Coupled” or “connected” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” or “connected” may also mean that two or more elements indirectly contact each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other, and may mean that one or more other elements are coupled or connected between the elements that are said to be coupled with or connected to each other. The term “directly coupled” or “directly connected” may mean that two or elements are in direct contact.

The term “trolley system,” as used herein, may refer to an assembly provided at a bottom portion of an example article of luggage that includes a rigid or semi-rigid panel to which wheels are attached, and to which is also attached a handle or telescoping handle system. The trolley system is used to make an attached article of luggage rollable, such that it can be pulled by a user as it rolls on a set of wheels. In some embodiments there are two square cylinders running form one end of the rigid or semi-rigid panel, and these contain two telescoping nested square cylinders to which is connected a handle.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example article of luggage in a closed state, in accordance with various embodiments. The article of luggage includes a garment bag folded over onto itself, its four sides attached together, creating a cavity. The cavity serves in an equivalent capacity as a conventional duffle bag.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the example closed article of luggage of FIG. 1, showing a trolley handle on the viewer's right side, wheels on the other, opposite side (viewer's left side), and a combination handle and rest bar attached to a side panel that is provided just above the wheels.

FIG. 3 illustrates the perspective view of FIG. 2, also showing an example user holding onto the combination handle and rest bar.

FIG. 4 illustrates the example closed article of luggage of FIG. 1 where respective zipper closures of one side of the article are clasped together to prevent unzipping, in accordance with various embodiments. As noted, the example article of luggage includes a garment bag folded over onto itself. The garment bag is attached at its top and bottom boundaries, as shown by the top two white arrows on the top of the image, and then a flap is provided on each side of the garment bag, a bottom portion of the flap attached to a middle portion (in the sense of a middle or central location along its length) of the side of the garment bag. The side flap, where it is not attached to the sides of the garment bag, is provided with a zipper along its upper curved periphery. It is this upper curved periphery that may be zipped to the free portions of the top and bottom sides of the garment bag that are respectively above and below the attachment site of the side flap to the garment bag.

As shown by the lower white arrow in FIG. 4, there may be two zippers used to zip the side flap to each side of the garment bag. FIG. 4 thus shows the two portions of the left side of the boundary of the garment bag respectively zipped to the two corresponding portions of the upper periphery of the side flap. The two zippers come together at the vertex or midpoint of the upper periphery of the side flap, and, to insure that they do not come unzipped, the two zipper pulls may be fastened together, as shown. For example, as shown, the pull of one of the zippers may include a clasp, that may attach to an opening in the pull of the other zipper.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example article of luggage in a closed position, where a user slides an electronic device into a side pocket of the article. In one or more embodiments, as shown, any outer side pocket would be placed on, or, as here, integrated with, the outside of a bottom surface of an example garment bag.

FIG. 6 illustrates the example article of luggage in a collapsed position, in accordance with various embodiments. In a collapsed position, the side flaps are not attached to corresponding portions of the right and left side boundaries of the garment bag, and the top and bottom portions of the garment bag are similarly not attached to each other. As a result, the three-dimensional structure with the inner cavity, as shown in FIG. 1, is no longer extant.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the article of luggage where a top portion of the garment bag of the article of luggage is not respectively attached to corresponding right and left side flaps, and also the top boundary is not attached to the bottom boundary. However, a bottom portion of the garment bag is respectively attached to corresponding portions of the right and left side flaps, in accordance with various embodiments. Additionally, a portion of the front longitudinal closure in a top surface of the garment bag is opened, revealing the garments inside. This configuration allows a viewer to see inside the internal cavity of the duffle, for example.

FIG. 8 illustrates the article of luggage as shown in FIG. 7, where a right side (left side of the image) of the upper inner surface of the garment bag has been folded back down, such that its top boundary lies adjacent to the top boundary of the rear surface of the garment bag, to show an example pocket (into which neckties may be placed, as shown), in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a view of the example article of luggage of FIG. 8, where the left side flap, as shown in FIG. 8, has been unzipped from corresponding upper and lower portions of the left boundary of the garment bag opened to show the example contents of the interior cavity from another perspective, in accordance with various embodiments. It is noted that this perspective is the same as one looking towards the garment bag as shown in FIG. 8 from the left of the figure, thus seeing the rear of the pair of shoes. As also shown in FIG. 9, there is a pocket provided on the inner surface of the left side flap, which, in this example, has been filled with electronic device charging apparatus.

FIG. 10 illustrates an open state of the article of luggage, showing the garment bag laid flat, the side flaps also laid flat, and the majority of the longitudinal closure on the upper surface of the garment bag opened, in accordance with various embodiments. In this view there may also be seen the inner pockets on the inner surface of each side flap with no contents in them.

FIG. 11 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1, in the closed position, and thus having a three-dimensional shape. The article is, as shown, standing on its side and resting on the combination handle and resting bar, in accordance with various embodiments. As is also shown, a telescoping handle is extended, so that a user may pull the bag, for example through an airport, the bag then rolling on its set of wheels. When the user desires to stop and rest, all that he or she need do is push upwards on the telescoping handle so that the plane of the trolley system (and thus the plane in which the telescoping handle is provided) is essentially perpendicular to the floor or ground, so that the bag stands upright, supported by the two wheels and the combined handle and resting bar, here functioning as resting bar, as shown.

FIG. 12 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 11, bent forward so that the plane of the trolley system makes an acute angle with the floor or ground, and thus the combined handle and resting bar no longer touching the floor or ground, so that a user may pull the bag along the ground, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1 in its four possible states, namely collapsed and folded (top left), open (bottom left), partially closed with contents (top right), and fully closed and mobile (bottom right), in accordance with various embodiments. Thus, the four images illustrate how an example bag, such as is shown in FIGS. 1-12, may be expanded from the collapsed position, as shown in the top left image (and also shown in FIG. 6), via intermediate configurations, to the closed position as shown in the bottom right image of FIG. 13, and as also shown in FIG. 12. With reference to the top right image and top left image of FIG. 13, from the collapsed position the bag has had the bottom portion of each side boundary of the garment bag zipped to respective bottom portions of the side flaps, so as to create an open on one side 3D configuration, and articles have been placed into both the garment bag and the interior cavity, as shown. From that configuration all that need be done to complete the closure, and thus move to the configuration shown in the bottom right image, is to zip up the garment bag's top surface closure, place the ties wholly within the top surface pocket of the garment bag and zip that, and then zip the top portion of each side boundary of the garment bag to a respective portion of a corresponding side flap, and then to zipper the top and bottom boundaries of the garment bag together, as described above.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 13, on the path from top left image, through the bottom left image, to the bottom right image, from the collapsed position shown in the top right image the example bag may be fully opened, with the garment bag and side flaps all laid flat on a surface, and the garment bag's interior closure, for example, as shown here, being a central vertical zipper from top to bottom, opened, all as shown in the bottom left image. In this fully opened configuration it is easy to fill the garment bag with clothing, as shown. Once that is done, the interior closure on the top inner surface of the garment bag may be closed, and then the top and bottom portions of each side boundary may be zipped (or otherwise closed, in alternate embodiments) to a respective portion of a corresponding side flap, and then the top and bottom boundaries of the garment bag also attached together, as described above.

Thus, FIG. 13 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 1 in its four possible states, namely collapsed and folded (top left image), open (bottom left image), partially closed with contents (top right image), and fully closed and mobile (bottom right image), in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates an interior view of an example trolley system provided at the bottom of an example article of luggage (under a central portion of the garment bag, with the trolley arms (expandable tubes within tubes) running horizontally across the width of the garment bag), in accordance with various embodiments. With reference thereto, there is a rigid or semi-rigid base panel provided at the bottom of the bag, under the trolley arms. As shown in FIG. 2, at the left side of the figure, the rigid base panel also curves upwards to a height approximately one-third of the way up the left side of the bag, so that the two wheels may be attached to it, as shown. Placed above the rigid or semi-rigid base panel, are the two square tubes in which the two sides of the telescoping handle are held, and these two square tubes are attached to the rigid or semi-rigid base panel beneath them, such as, for example, using rivets, or other attachment mechanism.

In one or more embodiments, the rigid or semi-rigid panel base panel that is provided under the trolley arms may be made of plastic, or a processed wood product, as is shown in the example of FIG. 14 (light colored surface under the trolley arms), or any combination of both, or of other appropriate materials.

It is here noted that in one or more embodiments, the curved portion of the rigid or semi-rigid base panel extends up one side of the bag only a minimal distance. This is one of the challenges the inventors faced, and is why, they believe, no other combination garment bag and duffle that is provided with a trolley system has successfully been created. The technical problem is how to provide the base panel for the trolley system where the wheels are, which curves upwards in a vertical direction, in a manner so that the wheels may be attached to it, but it still does not prevent the side panel of the garment bag on its same side (left side in FIG. 2), when its completely open, from lying flush against the floor, as shown, for example, in the bottom left image of FIG. 13. Thus, in one or more embodiments, the curved portion of the bottom rigid or semi-rigid base panel may be shortened enough so that the bag may function as a garment bag without the rigid or semi-rigid base panel that is provided on the left side of the garment bag (in order to provide an attachment surface for the wheels) from getting in the way.

As described below, there may be an insert to each side panel. In some embodiments, the left side panel insert (as shown in FIGS. 26-28) sits above (i.e., towards the interior) the curved portion of the rigid or semi-rigid base panel (the curved portion, again, shown in FIG. 2). In alternate embodiments, for example, the left side panel insert of FIGS. 26-28 may be cut, so that it is provided to only sit vertically on top of the curved portion of the rigid or semi-rigid base panel that holds the two wheel bases. Either approach may be taken in various examples.

FIG. 15 is a close-up view of the trolley system of FIG. 14, in accordance with various embodiments. It is noted that the view of FIG. 15 is rotated counter-clockwise by ninety degrees relative to the view shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in this example there is a fabric lining that covers the trolley system, with a closure, that may be opened, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to access the trolley system compartment. Thus, FIG. 16 illustrates the trolley system compartment of FIG. 14 with an example central closure in the lining zipped up, in accordance with various embodiments.

Inasmuch as the trolley arms are rigid, if they are allowed to contact the clothes in the garment bag's interior, the clothes may become wrinkled. Thus, FIG. 17A illustrates an additional protection for the clothes, namely an example semi-rigid covering flap to cover the trolley arms, the covering flap provided at the back side of the garment bag, on top of the trolley system compartment, and thus on top of the lining as shown in FIG. 16, once it is closed, in accordance with various embodiments. In one or more embodiments, the covering flap may be permanently attached on one side of the trolley system compartment, either top or bottom, and releasably attached on the other, such as, for example, with Velcro™ or some other attachment mechanism. When the semi-rigid covering flap is in its closed position, it insulates the contents of the garment bag from the trolley system mechanism, keeping them unwrinkled and flat. As noted above, in one or more examples, the semi-rigid covering flap is curved, so as to fit above the trolley arms, but also touch the top and bottom boundaries of the rigid or semi-rigid base panel. Thus, in such embodiments, the semi-rigid covering flap has the shape of a downward facing parabolic surface, with central height sufficient to clear the height of the two trolley arms, and sides able to touch the rigid or semi-rigid base panel.

Thus, FIG. 17B illustrates the example covering flap of FIG. 17A as swung upwards, being rotated about the axis made by its permanently attached side, in accordance with various embodiments. The slight curvature of the example semirigid covering flap is clearly seen in this view.

FIG. 17C illustrates the example covering flap of FIG. 17B with its releasable side now affixed in position at the back side of the garment bag so that it now covers the trolley arms (also known as “rails”), in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 17D illustrates an alternate example article of luggage, where the flap is provided inside the trolley system compartment itself, underneath the lining, in accordance with various embodiments. In this example embodiment, the lining may be tightened at each of the right and left sides of the garment bag, so that the semi-rigid covering panel may be held in place (and not move around), so as to protect the clothing within the garment bag by insulating the clothing from the .

FIG. 18 illustrates the example garment bag of the example article of luggage of FIGS. 14 and 15 with the central closure on the upper surface of the garment bag (which is in the interior of the article's cavity, when the article is in the closed configuration) partially zipped up, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 19 is a wider angle view of the example garment bag shown in FIG. 18, showing the entire garment bag and the two side flaps protruding from it.

FIG. 20 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 19 with the upper surface closure (e.g., a zipper) of the garment bag fully closed, in accordance with various embodiments. This complete closure of the garment bag (to thus hold in its contents) would be done prior to connecting the top and bottom side boundaries of the garment bag to the peripheries of the side flaps to create a duffle with a cavity, so that any additional items placed in the cavity of the duffle do not touch or interfere with the clothes now contained in the garment bag.

FIG. 21 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 20 with bottom side portions of the garment bag as zipped to respective bottom portions of the two side flaps, in accordance with various embodiments. It is noted that the top of the garment bag is shown at the right of the image, with a purple flap that folds down over the top of the garment bag. The view of FIG. 21 is essentially that as shown in FIG. 7, but here in FIG. 21 without any contents provided in the interior cavity of the duffle.

FIG. 22 illustrates the example article of luggage of FIG. 21 now with the top side portions of the garment bag fully zipped to their corresponding upper portions of the two side flaps, to assume the full 3D configuration of the bag, to close it, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 23 illustrates the garment bag of FIG. 23, now with the top boundary of the garment bag and the bottom boundary of the garment bag also zippered together, thereby fully closing the interior cavity of the bag, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 24 illustrates the underside of the garment bag of FIG. 23, showing four example rivets fastening the two trolley rails to a bottom panel of the article of luggage, as well as, sown on the left side of the figure, additional rivets attaching the two wheelbases to the base panel (not shown, as inside the outer fabric). There is also shown a zippered pocket in which the telescoping handle may be stored (right side of the figure, further to the right of the two rivets for attaching the trolley arms), in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 25 illustrates the garment bag of FIG. 24, with the handle fully extended, in accordance with various embodiments. It is noted that because the bag is not filled with any contents, the top portions have fallen down towards the bottom of the bag.

FIGS. 26 through 29, next described, illustrate details of example rigid or semi-rigid inserts to the two side flaps. In one or more examples, these inserts provide additional structure to the side flaps, and, in the case of the side flap that is provided on the side of the trolley system where the wheels are, the insert provides a surface to which the resting bar may be attached.

With reference to FIG. 26, at the top of the figure, on each side of the garment bag, above the respective side flaps, there are shown two “half pill” shaped semi-rigid insert panels. The shape of the insert panels is configured to fit inside the side flaps that are attached to each side of the garment bag, as shown, in accordance with various embodiments. For a magnified view of one of the side flap inserts, FIG. 27 depicts a close up view of the left side panel and the example left side flap insert to be inserted within it, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 28 depicts the left side panel insert of FIG. 27 being inserted into the example left side flap of FIG. 27, in accordance with various embodiments. As can be seen, the side flap insert is inserted just above, or within, the bottom outer surface of the side flap, and cannot be seen by a user in normal use. It also provides some rigidity for the pockets provided in each side flap, as shown, allowing objects that are stored in the pockets, for example electronic devices, to be protected from the outside whilst in the duffle. In some embodiments, as shown, the pockets may be formed of a mesh material, on their top or front surface, so that their contents may be easily seen by a user. An example side pocket is shown in FIG. 9, described above, which has a smartphone charger, and a few charging cords, for example, provided inside it. The use of the side flap inserts (not shown in FIG. 9) allows the side pockets to maintain their shape when filled, or when objects are removed, and also protects those objects from any knocks or hits form an object outside the bag. In addition, the rigidity that the side flap inserts provide to the duffle allows the two sides and the top or bottom portions, or both, to create a defined 3D space such as is shown, for example, in FIG. 8. This allows a user to fill the inner cavity bag, or empty it, with the top, or the bottom, as the case may be, of the garment bag portion fully unzipped, as shown in FIG. 8.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 28, in order to hold the side flap insert inside the side flap, as well as to hide it from view from the inside of the duffle, the opening in to which the side flap insert is inserted, and from which it is removed, may be covered by a flap. This flap (shown in FIG. 29) may, in some embodiments, releasably attach to the inside surface of the side flap, for example at some point below where the inner pocket ends. As shown in FIG. 28, for example, the releasable attachment may be via Velcro and thus at the bottom of the upper (inner) surface of the side flap there is shown a strip of Velcro.

FIG. 29 depicts the left side flap of FIG. 28 with the semi-rigid panel fully inserted, and the Velcro strip now covered by a covering flap provided on the top of the garment bag's upper surface. The side flap and the covering flap on the surface of the garment bag, now releasably attached to each other, in accordance with various embodiments, to securely hold the side flap insert inside the side flap.

In one or more embodiments, as noted above, the side panel inserts may be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or an equivalent material, so that they have rigidity. Without the use of rigid side flaps, a user, when rolling the bag and wanting to stop or rest, would have to lay the bag down flat on the ground, because the bag cannot stand up on its side, as shown in FIG. 11, described above, for example. For example, if it is wet outside, when the duffle is set down on the ground, resting on its bottom panel, the panel on the bottom will be wet once it is stood up again and rolled. In one or more embodiments, by adding the side flap insert panels, a grab-handle may be added, as shown in FIGS. 11-12, described above. Without the rigid side panel, in addition to the bag getting dirty or wet because there's no buffer between the bag and the ground, such a bag also would not stand upright for very long without falling.

Thus, the embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the embodiments in accordance with the present technology and its particular application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed.

In view of the foregoing, the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims that follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of luggage, comprising: a trolley system; a garment bag including a top boundary, a bottom boundary, a left side boundary, a right side boundary, a top surface and a rear surface, the garment bag provided on top of the trolley system such that the rear surface abuts the trolley system; a semi-rigid base panel provided one of under or over the rear surface, to physically insulate contents of the garment bag from the trolley system; and a left side flap affixed to the left side boundary, and a right side flap affixed to the right side boundary, the side flaps configured to respectively releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left and right side boundaries of the garment bag, such that an inner surface of each side flap and the top surface of the garment bag define an interior cavity of the article in a closed state.
 2. The article of luggage of claim 1, further comprising at least one semi-rigid side flap insert inserted into a slot provided in one of the side flaps.
 3. The article of luggage of claim 2, wherein a semi-rigid side flap insert is inserted into a slot provided in each of the side flaps.
 4. The article of luggage of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid panel has a convex upper surface, and is provided such that the trolley system fits within a three-dimensional volume underneath the concave underside of the semi-rigid panel.
 5. The article of luggage of claim 1, wherein the trolley system comprises wheels on a first end, and an extendible handle at an opposite second end.
 6. The article of luggage of claim 5, further comprising a resting bar affixed to an outer surface of a side flap that is provided on the side of the article of luggage that has the wheels of the trolley system.
 7. The article of luggage of claim 1, wherein the trolley system has a width, the width substantially equal to a width of a portion of each of the right and left side flaps that is affixed to the respective right and left side boundaries of the garment bag.
 8. The article of luggage of claim 1, further comprising a resting bar affixed to an outer surface of one of the side flaps.
 9. The article of luggage of claim 1, wherein when the article is in the closed state, clothing that is stored in the garment bag is not wrinkled by contents of the interior cavity.
 10. An article of luggage, comprising: a rectangular shaped portion configured to hold clothes on hangers within it, the rectangular shaped portion having a length and a width, and including a top surface and a bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces attached to each other on at least three sides of their respective peripheries, the top surface having a closable opening accessible to a user; a trolley mechanism provided underneath the bottom surface and along its width, the trolley mechanism including wheels on one end and a handle on the other end; and a right side flap and a left side flap, each having a periphery including a curved upper region and a straight lower region, wherein the straight lower region of the right side flap is attached to a middle portion of the right side of the rectangular portion, and the upper curved region of the right side flap is configured to releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the right side of the rectangular portion; and wherein the straight lower region of the left side flap is attached to a middle portion of the left side of the rectangular portion, and the upper curved region of the left side flap is configured to releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left side of the rectangular portion.
 11. A method of providing an article of luggage, comprising: providing a garment bag, including: a top boundary, a bottom boundary, a left side boundary, a right side boundary, a top surface and a rear surface; configuring the top boundary and bottom boundary to releasably attach to each other; providing the garment bag on top of a trolley system oriented such that a first end of the trolley system is adjacent to the left side boundary and a second, opposite end, is adjacent to the right side boundary; providing a semi-rigid base panel one of under or over the rear surface of the garment bag, to physically insulate contents of the garment bag from the trolley system; and affixing a left side flap to the left side boundary, and a right side flap to the right side boundary, and configuring the side flaps to respectively releasably attach to corresponding upper and lower portions of the left and right side boundaries of the garment bag, such that when each side flap is releasably attached to the correpsonding portions of the garment bag boundaries, and when the top boundary and bottom boundary of the garment bag are releasably attached to each other, the inner surface of each side flap and the top surface of the garment bag together define an interior cavity.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein when the top boundary and the bottom boundary of the garment bag are releasably attached to each other, the article is in a closed state.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing a slot in at least one of the side flaps; providing at least one semi-rigid side flap insert to be inserted into the slot; and inserting the at least one semi-rigid side flap insert into the at least one slot.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a semi-rigid side flap insert is inserted into a slot provided in each of the side flaps.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the semi-rigid panel has a convex upper surface, and further comprising provided the semi-rigid panel such that the trolley system fits within a three-dimensional volume underneath the concave underside of the semi-rigid panel.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the trolley system comprises wheels on a first end, and an extendible handle at an opposite second end.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising affixing a resting bar to an outer surface of a side flap that is provided on the side of the article of luggage that has the wheels of the trolley system.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the trolley system has a width, the width substantially equal to a width of a portion of each of the right and left flaps that is affixed to the respective right and left side boundaries of the garment bag.
 19. The method of claim 13, further comprising affixing a resting bar to an outer surface of a side flap that has a semi-rigid flap insert inserted into it.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein when the article is in the closed state, clothing that is stored in the garment bag is not wrinkled by contents of the interior cavity. 